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« Viewed From The Ivory Tower | Main | Tour de Technologie » July 1, 2004Fahrenheit 9/11 Is Good for BushFahrenheit 9/11 will end up helping President Bush politically rather than hurting his re-election bid. Extremism, real or perceived, by one political party tends to help the other political party in America. Remember the 1992 GOP convention in Houston, where Pat Buchanan delivered his "Culture War" speech? It was considered extremist, and was a big reason Bush 41 lost the 1992 election to Bill Clinton. Clinton, on the other hand, slammed Sister Souljah during a speech before Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition because of her extremist statements about killing white people, resulting in Jesse Jackson fuming at Clinton - and most of the rest of America viewing Clinton as a moderate. Clinton understood that extremism by one party, real or perceived, helps the other party. There is in John Kerry's near future an inevitable moment when Kerry is asked about Fahrenheit 9/11 and he is forced to either condemn the movie, alienating the hard-left of the Democratic Party and sending some of them to vote for Nader - or to endorse the film, embracing extremism and alienating the moderates without which he can not win the presidency. Wesley Clark destroyed his campaign by embracing Moore and refusing to condemn Moore's extremist statements. What will Kerry do when, after the media has sufficiently exposed the lies in Moore's film and Moore's extremism in general and the average swing voter out there in the battleground states understands the truth about Moore and his extremist, slanderous, film? What will Kerry do when he is put on the spot about Fahrenheit 9/11 and Moore's extremist statements in general? Mark my words. Fahrenheit 9/11 will end up helping Bush politically and hurting John Kerry. Extremists tend to rain friendly fire on their own. Posted in Campaign Season
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Suggested response: I haven't seen the film yet, and therefore cannot comment on it. Posted by: SemiPundit at July 1, 2004 10:09 AMYeah, except the Kerry campaign has been reported to have tried to arrange a private screening for Kerry. Oh, and if he gave that answer, the media could press the issue and say "Sen. Kerry, obviously you have heard about the film and its basic charges against Bush. Do you believe Michael Moore is right?" It is possible to frame the question to put Kerry on the spot, and I predict it will happen. Posted by: Bill Hobbs at July 1, 2004 10:12 AMWhat will Kerry do when he is put on the spot about Fahrenheit 9/11 and Moore's extremist statements in general? I think Kerry's direction should be obvious... He will condemn it, then endorse it– just as he always has done. Posted by: DeWaun at July 1, 2004 10:25 AMExtremism, real or perceived, by one political party tends to help the other political party in America. In that event, this election will be a landslide for Bush; All the Democrats have been offering is Extremism. Posted by: Bithead at July 1, 2004 10:36 AMI hope he gives Semipundit's answer. That will tell likely voters that Kerry is a hollow, old-fashioned pol who wouldn't be adequate in peaceful times - much less now. Posted by: Lance at July 1, 2004 11:32 AM"Extremism, real or perceived, by one political party tends to help the other political party in America."
Would that be the Republican extremism embodied in No Child Left Behind and the Medicare drug benefit? Yeah, that's real right-wing stuff. Posted by: Lance at July 1, 2004 01:44 PMKerry needs to stay out the light, including on this issue. He'll be safe as long as he keeps his trap shut. Or if no one asks him about it. Posted by: Jeremiah at July 1, 2004 03:23 PMI disagree completely. It's hard to watch the movie and find fault in Moore's techniques. All of the interviewees which he wanted to present slayed themselves on their own words. There's a lot of talk about judicious editing, but I think that in the context of what's being said there really wasn't any done. So a congressman's nephew was cut from the film - who cares? Moore was asking for their sons and daughters, not far flung relatives - it's an order of magnitude difference. Remember that he did mention that one congressman had a child serving in Iraq. No, I think you'd be hardpressed to find a neutral person walking away from that movie with a firm resolve to get Bush back in for four more years. Posted by: ChefQuix at July 4, 2004 01:46 AMPost a comment
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